It’s hard to deny the influence that classic 80s sci-fi film Tron has had on virtual reality (VR). The neon-bright aesthetics, glowing circuitry lines and sharp edges have shaped the look of many VR titles, including Rebellion’s Battlezone and CCP Games recent effort Sparc. Oddly, there has yet to be an official Tron VR experience. Tron actor Jeff Bridges has hopes that will change.
Bridges appeared as Kevin Flynn, the maverick programmer in the original Tron who was transported to the computer world. In the 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy he reprised his role, and was also de-aged with the power of CGI to play his digital doppelgänger, CLU. Though Disney have supposedly put plans for a third Tron film on hold, rumours persist of a Tron 3.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Bridges addressed those rumours and his hopes for the film series: “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard those rumors too,” Bridges replied. “I hope that happens. I think Joe’s got the script and everything, you know. Yeah, I don’t know that I’m supposed to talk about it or not. I don’t know. It should be the first virtual reality movie, you know? Wouldn’t that be cool…to see Tron in that world?”
Critics of Tron: Legacy noted that one of the biggest positives of that film was how well it translated into 3D, pointing out that one of Tron’s strengths was its ability to present an entirely different world to the viewer, something that VR can only enhance with its immersive capabilities.
It remains to be seen if Tron 3 will ever get made, or if it will be in VR, or have a VR tie-in. Considering the profound influence Tron has had on the VR landscape, it would be a shame if Tron never made it into VR.
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